Morni gangrape case: Victim’s husband held for trafficking

Police say he is pimp, lodged complaint after deal with guest house owner went awry

In a major twist in the Morni gangrape case, police on Wednesday arrested the victim’s husband for acting as a pimp and sending his wife to the guest house for prostitution.

Cops claim that during quizzing the victim’s husband, who was earlier raising questions on police inaction, has admitted that he had fixed a deal with Sunny for Rs 9,000.

He allegedly lodged a complaint with police to teach him a lesson after the deal went away.

The victim had alleged that around 10 men, including two cops, raped her daily at Lovely guest house in Morni between July 15 and 18. A special investigation team (SIT), headed by Panchkula assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Anshu Singla, is probing the case.

An official privy to the investigation said the victim’s husband, a native of Bihar and currently residing in a rented accommodation in Manimajra, Chandigarh, was rounded up on Tuesday night for questioning in link with the alleged prostitution racket being run by guest house owner and prime accused Sunny.

Panchkula deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Rajendar Kumar Meena said: “The SIT is probing the case from every angle. There were some inconsistencies. Earlier, the victim had alleged that she was not in touch with her husband during the time she was confined at the guest house. However, a thorough probe revealed that the couple was in touch through some other phone number.”

The probe also revealed that the couple has a criminal past, he said, adding that it led to his arrest for role in the prostitution racket.

The victim’s husband has been booked under the Immoral Trafficking Act and Section 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave) of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced in a local court, which remanded him to three-day police custody. Officials said they will be quizzing him to get more details.

Supplied other girls too

An official privy to the investigation said they have retrieved a phone conversation between Sunny and the victim’s husband that nailed him.

Police claim the victim’s husband has admitted that he had arranged other girls for Sunny in the past as well. He had also sent his wife to other clients, police claim.

“Besides sending the victim to other clients, the accused had sent a woman to Sunny in lieu of Rs15,000,” said an investigating official.

Police said his marriage with the victim is also under the scanner. Sources have claimed that his first wife is in Bihar. The accused had claimed that he married the victim in 2015.

The accused had earlier narrated a different story to the police. He had stated that on July 15, the victim accompanied Sunny to Morni after he offered her a housekeeping job for Rs11,000 per month. However, on reaching the guest house, she was held captive and gangraped, he had claimed.

Being framed, says wife

Reiterating her demand to transfer the case back to Chandigarh Police, the victim said on Wednesday that her husband was being framed. “We have no connection with the guest house owner. My husband was taken to police station on Tuesday night for identifying suspects, but instead he was arrested,” she said.

The woman claimed they didn’t take any money from Sunny and he is trying to save himself by making false allegations.

The victim has reportedly submitted an application to the Punjab and Haryana high court chief justice, asking for security and financial support besides transfer of the case to Chandigarh Police as she is not satisfied with the Panchkula police probe.